The social and demographic characteristics of women dying from cervical cancer in Nottingham.
Cervical cancer accounted for 57 deaths to women in Nottingham District in 1986 and 1987. 28% were women aged under 50 years of age. Using age specific death rates, the greatest risk was among women aged 60-69 years. However, when expressed as a proportion of all deaths, cervical cancer represents 8.5% of deaths in women aged 25-45, but only 0.6% of deaths to women over 46. There was no significant difference in relative risk between the five social classes, even when social class V was compared to aggregated data for social classes I-IV. This supports other evidence that the social class gradient in cervical cancer mortality is lessening. There was no excess risk shown to women resident in the inner city or in areas of social deprivation. This finding is in contrast to the work of others who have shown an increased incidence in areas of social deprivation. The evidence from this study would support those who suggested over 20 years ago that it is not social deprivation or occupation that constitute an increased risk to women, but sexual behaviour and other habits such as smoking.
Wilson
S H
SH
Department of Community Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Center.
Fowler
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*